Hitachi Cable, Ltd. has announced the conclusion of a dealer agreement with NEC Corporation (headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Kaoru Yano) for sale of Apresia Ethernet switches.*1

Hitachi Cable's Apresia series of Ethernet switches can be categorized into two main groups: the Apresia 6000/8000/18000 series targeting telecommunications carriers and the Apresia 2000/3000/4000/13000 series targeting corporate and public sector markets. The Apresia 6000/8000/18000 series is used by large numbers of telecommunications carriers, primarily for deployment in their wide-area Ethernet networks. Thanks to a wealth of features, including enhanced authentication for use in developing PC quarantine LAN systems, the Apresia 2000/3000/4000/13000 series is widely used as an edge switch for internal LANs at corporations and universities.

In July 2007, Hitachi Cable transferred its network integration business to Hitachi Cable Networks, Ltd., a subsidiary, choosing to concentrate on product-related businesses through in-house development, manufacture, and sales of network devices. In addition to concentrating on the development and manufacture of competitive products capable of assuming leadership roles in the Japanese network device market, such as the Apresia series of Ethernet switches, Hitachi Cable is seeking to expand sales of network devices in its product-related business through its dealer network.

Hitachi Cable has concluded this dealer agreement for sales of Apresia-series switches with NEC-which for its part offers a wealth of experience in handling network integration-to achieve further growth in Apresia-series sales. Under this agreement, NEC and Hitachi Cable will work together to provide clients with solutions providing even higher levels of added value, through verification of the interoperability of Apresia switches with products such as RADIUS*2 servers and quarantine software from NEC.

This partnership will allow Hitachi Cable to enhance its Apresia-series sales network, with the aim of expanding its market share. Apresia-series sales for the 2009 fiscal year are projected to total 12 billion yen.

*1	Ethernet is a product name of Xerox Corp. Ethernet is a registered trademark of Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. in Japan. Apresia is a registered trademark of Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
*2	RADIUS is an authentication system developed by Livingston Enterprises, Inc.

List of Apresia-series dealers] (as of March 3, 2008)

NEC Corporation ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. Net One Systems Co., Ltd. Hitachi Information Systems, Ltd. Hitachi Information & Communication Engineering, Ltd. Hitachi Electronics Services Co., Ltd. Hitachi Cable Networks, Ltd. FUJITSU NETWORK SOLUTIONS LIMITED

(The company name underlined above indicates a company added to the list through the conclusion of this new dealer agreement.)